Shelter Coordination Meeting

Shelter meeting
14 August 2001, 10:00- 11:00h, IRC Office in Skopje

In attendance were:

• OCHA
  Mr. Paul Hebert - PH
  Ms. Silva Pesic - SP
  
  
• UNHCR
  Ms. Dubravka Marjanovic-Prolic - DMP
  
  
• UNICEF
  Mr. Guy Mbaye - GM
  
  
• IRC
  Mr. Nigel Koolik - NK
  Ms. Melica Partilla - MP
  
  
• OXFAM
  Mr. Mike Elliot - ME
  
  
• DRC
  Mr. Philip Jerichon - PJ
  
  
• EUROPEAN PERSPECTIVE
  Ms, Linda Rushiti - LR
  
  
• CRS
  Mr. Kevin Tobin - KT
  Mr. Sasa Angelevski - SA
  
  
• World Vision
  Mr. Julian Srodecki - JS
  
  
• CARE
  Mr. Greg Grimsich - GG

Summary:

IRC reported that technical assessment (TA) of accommodation facilities could be over in 2 weeks. There were enough funds available, but not enough personnel to do the TA. Assistance was sought in that regard.

Action points agreed:

1. To assist IRC in TA :
   - CRS and European Perspective have the capacity and will do assist;
   - IRC will remain in charge of division of concrete TA activities.
   
   
2. OCHA will contact PRM and OFDA.
   
   
3. Decision should be taken on the mechanisms of disbursement. Donors should be included in the process of deciding how the funds are spent.
   
   
4. A cost estimate should be made in order to come up with a bulk sum comprising of an estimate plus 10-20% over that.

Draft assessment report should be presented by the end of the following week.

Minutes:

NK of IRC opened the meeting with short explanation on the Assessment Report of Temporary Community Shelters. The report, giving break-down by facility and by municipality was preliminary, containing summary data (see attached). It is a part of the report which has been assembled by IRC. IRC was moving forward with the technical assessment (TA) of facilities around the country, doing 1-2 TAs per day, concentrating on the areas of Gostivar, Tetovo, Kumanovo and Skopje. Some 15-20 TAs of B and C type buildings had already been made and IRC expected to end up with a list of some 40 buildings the capacity of which could be upgraded. It was expected that, at the ongoing pace, TA could be completed in 2-weeks time. IRC needed assistance for doing it. Funds were sufficient but more engineers were needed to get involved to speed-up the process. Due to the local security circumstances, another concern was travel required in the TA process.

PH asked about the expected capacity increase after upgrading that 40 buildings. NK estimated it would be 6-7,000 persons, which would bring the total accommodation capacity close to 50,000. PH explained OCHA was ready to lobby with PRM and OFDA which had already indicated funds for return and shelter upgrading. The funds may be somewhat flexible, and could be shifted to displacement, e.g. to upgrading of the 40 buildings, should they be found beneficial to IDPs and identified as priority. Should the situation change, funds could be shifted back. For that, OCHA needed TA to go ahead so that NGOs could make project proposals with rough cost estimates.

In that view, comments were exchanged about several concerns, such as the costs of the material and availability of constructors which were found not to impose problem. Costs of return of building in function were also said should be taken into consideration in the project proposal preparation. Also, IRC pointed out that it preferred to make the estimates for full repair and upgrading value and then, if need be, scale it back, rather than do it for a minimum operational upgrading.

PH said that it should be started to think about prioritising, getting the most economical solutions and setting priority criteria. All that had to start immediately after TA was done and should be done in consultation with the Government.

Comments were again exchanged, that IRC standard procedure was complying to PH’s suggestion, as, normally, immediately after a TA they were going to opening tenders. DMP informed she learned from the local NGO, MCIC, that Mr. Tome Trombev of the Ministry of Transport and Communications will be in charge of construction on Government’s part. The concern about Government’s announcement that the boarding schools, i.e. education facilities had to be emptied by start of school year, as well as the one that Skopje IDPs who were working would not be able to continue that if they were moved away, were also mentioned.

JS asked if it would perhaps be better during the upgrading process to give the priority to location rather than to the quality of existing facilities. Comments followed again on different aspects of upgrading; bills of work; relief standards in comparison to normal building ones; pros and cons of tenting facilities and moving IDPs or concentrating them in mega camps.

PH invited all present to think which would be the most effective approach to the managing of the process once the implementation started. DMP said that UNHCR will co-ordinate the process through a newly engaged Shelter Co-ordinator. The question was only how fast could NGOs do the work.

PH suggested that a committee takes the necessary decisions on projects. That Committee could involve the parties involved, including the Government and donors. DMP mentioned that the GO “Colectione Italiana” reconstructed the children summer resort “Titovi pioneri” and was considering doing some more. PH said that OCHA and UNHCR would consult with the Government to avoid duplication. The present should also see if somebody was also doing some parts, then they should be able to come up with a bulk sum that would be needed. PJ said that DRC was expecting the approval of the Danish Government of an initial budget that included shelter. KT said the CRS could assist with upgrading 2-3 buildings.